Tim Montana & the Shrednecks

Why You Should Pay Attention: Upon meeting ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, head Shredneck Tim Montana found his spirit animal — and wrote a cult favorite with Gibbons in "This Beard Came Here to Party," co-opted by the Boston Red Sox for their 2013 post-season run. The band — fleshed out by guitarist Kyle Rife, drummer Brian Wolff and bass player Bryce Paul — recently wrapped up a tour with ZZ Top and are opening for Kid Rock on dates this summer. Following another cut with Gibbons, the outrageous "Weed & Whiskey," Montana and his gang are in the studio collaborating with Rock and working on a new album.

He Says: "My earliest musical memory was I found this Marlboro Country mixtape with songs by Charlie Daniels and Ronnie Milsap — that my mom smoked a lot of cigarettes to earn. Then a week later, I found a Guns N' Roses tape. I chuckle now, but our sound is the perfect combo of those first two tapes," says Montana, who is actually from the state that bears his name and plays there often on tour. "We're going to markets and seeing people who have seen us in other places and we're building this on our own. We're laying a brick foundation."

Hear for Yourself: Montana is currently experimenting with rapid-fire rap deliveries and drum loops in the studio, but "Weed and Whiskey" leans on harmonies and a devilish chorus. Joseph Hudak